I woke up slowly the next morning. My eyes were thick with sleep from the dried tears. I rubbed my eyes hard and blinked them open. The sun was streaming in through the open window. I didn’t want to think about what I had heard last night. I tried to blank it out. Looking at the clock on the wall I saw it was 9.10am, and I could hear Aunt Jenna downstairs. Suddenly my phone buzzed with a text. I picked it up and saw it was from Damon.
Are you busy today? If you are then cancel your plans. I’m taking you somewhere. I’ll pick you up at 11am, ok? Make sure you’re ready x
I smiled at his complete and utter bluntness. Quickly I texted back.
No I wasn’t busy today, but thanks for asking. I’ll see you at 11am then. Xxx
I pressed send, put my phone down and went and took a shower. The hot water was good against my tired face, and when I’d finished I felt fresh and ready to face another day.
When I got back to my room I changed and ran a brush through my wet hair. Annoyingly there was a knot and I had to literally rip my brush through my hair. My head throbbed painfully after the knot was finally gone. Finally I was finished getting ready and I glanced at the clock again. 10.17am, wow I was moving really slow today. I heard a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I turned around and Jeremy came in. “Oh hey Jer, you ok?” He looked as though his was suppressing laughter. “What’s so funny?” I inquired. Laughter was literally ripping him apart from the inside.
“Come and see for yourself. But be quiet.” He beckoned me forth and I followed him to the landing. He peered over the banister and giggled. I looked and nearly burst out laughing too. Aunt Jenna was dancing – not disco dancing, but using an exercise video called Taibo. The man on the screen was saying “and lunge, two, three, four, five, six seven, eight. And breathe, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…” She was really going for it. I looked at Jeremy and we couldn’t hold it in any longer. We burst out laughing and tears came to my eyes. Aunt Jenna looked up sternly.
“What are you two laughing at? Isn’t a woman allowed to get her body into shape?” she put her hands on her hips. “Now look what you’ve made me do! I’ve missed the squat-thrusts.” This made us laugh even more. “Go away, both of you. Leave me and my hot body builder to ourselves, thank you.” And with that she turned around and tried to catch up with tape. Jeremy helped me get up.
“Oh dear,” I said, wiping the laughter tears away.
“My sentiments exactly,” Jeremy giggled, stifling more laughter. “Hey, you look nice Elena. Where are you off to?” I didn’t actually know exactly where I was going.
“I’m going somewhere with Damon. And thanks for the compliment,” I smiled. He looked at me in surprise.
“You and Damon? Since when?” I sighed.
“Since yesterday actually.” I turned to walk away. He grabbed my arm.
“Elena, I don’t know why I’m saying this, but be careful. I’ve always got a bad vibe off of him. There’s something…off about him.” I was touched by his worry and honesty.
“I’m safe with Damon. But thanks Jer, for being so caring.” I hugged him and he shuffled off to his room. After five minutes his music blared up. I looked at the clock again. 10.30Am. Time was going so slowly. I just wanted to see Damon again. I sat on my bed and stared at the window, wishing that he would just appear. So I tried to think of something to do to pass the time. I looked around me and realised that my room was actually a bit of a tip. So I gathered up the dirty clothes and threw them into the wash bin in the bathroom. Then I sorted out my desk and I got kind of into the whole bedroom cleaning thing. After a while I looked back at the clock. 10.57Am! Damon would be here soon. I grabbed my bag and made my way downstairs. As I got to the bottom the doorbell rang. I opened the door.
“Hey,” Damon said as he stepped inside. He cupped my face in his hands and brought his lips down to mine. I melted. Our lips moved against each other rhythmically, and our breathing staggered. When we kissed I forgot every bad thing that was worrying me, everything that got me down. I had never known that Damon, of all people, could have ever made me feel this way. I remembered back to when I had hated him. When I was shocked at the way he could kill without a hint of remorse. But for some reason none of the past mattered anymore. It was like we had started again and I knew that if I didn’t think about what he did to…eat, that I could be with him. The kissing slowed and eventually he pulled his face back ever so slightly, but kept his hands on my cheeks. His face was millimetres from my own, and I stared into his grey eyes. They were mesmerising. Suddenly I heard Aunt Jenna coming down the stairs. We quickly moved away from each other, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. I really didn’t want to have to deal with her constant embarrassing remarks right now. As she reached the bottom of the stairs she looked at us and smiled.
“Why hello Damon, it’s so nice to see you again,” she said, staring at him. I rolled my eyes. “So what are you kids up to today, hmm?” I glanced up at Damon. I was wondering the same thing actually. He had only sent me a text saying that he wanted to take me somewhere, but I had no idea where that somewhere was.
“I was going to take Elena out for the day, is that ok?” He smiled down at me.
“Of course it’s ok sweetie. Have fun you two.” She beamed a smile at Damon. “Well, I’m off to meet Alaric at the Grill. See you later honey,” and she kissed my cheek. She walked past us out of the door. I turned back to Damon.
“So, where are we going?” I asked.
“You’ll see,” he grinned and took my hand. We walked out of the front door and he lead me to his 60’s blue Chevrolet. It was a beautiful old car. He opened the door for me.
“Madam,” he said with a smile and waved his hand as he bowed. I laughed at his dramatic gesture. The moment I was in he was already buckled up and the ignition was running.
“Aren’t you worried that people will see you moving so fast?” I was worried he was going to give himself away by being reckless.
“Do you really think people are going to believe what they saw if they did?” I thought about it.
“I suppose…” And we were off, driving out of my street and onto the main road that ran through Mystic Falls. He switched on the radio and music blasted out into the car. His hand tapped along to the beat on the steering wheel. I wondered to myself if I should tell him about Stefan’s appearance last night. I decided to save it.


“So, where exactly are we going, Damon?” Again he told me I’d have to wait and see. We drove for a long time until we reached a huge forest. Driving through the thick undergrowth made me remember what Stefan had talked about the night before and I shivered.
“You ok?” Damon looked at me, a puzzled look on his face.
“I’m fine, don’t worry.” I sat back against the seat and closed my eyes. Suddenly someone was shaking me gently.
“Elena, wake up, we’re here,” a voice drifted into my consciousness.
“Wha- Did I fall asleep?” I said groggily. Damon laughed softly.
“Yes you did. But now we’re here so come on.” I looked out of the window. We were on top of a huge hill overlooking a valley. I didn’t know Mystic Falls was anywhere near a valley. I was confused. Damon saw my puzzled face.
“I’ll explain where we are in a sec. Come on.” And he was at my door with it open in a blink. I undid my seatbelt and stepped out into the warm air. The view was breathtaking. It really was.
“This is my favourite place to come. When I need to escape, get away from everything, you know?” I turned to him.
“Why did you bring me here?” He wrapped his arms around me.
“Stefan told me he told you. I figured it was a lot to take in, especially as it’s my brother. For you to hear about him…you know, doing that, must have been hard. So I figured why not help her try to escape for a while.” He stroked my hair. Damon had surprised me with his sentimentality yet again.
“You know Damon, you can be quite the sweet-heart sometimes. I would never have guessed,” I looked up at him.
“Well, sentimentality isn’t my most redeeming quality, but it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. I can be quite the romantic too, you know.” He kissed the top of my head and then opened the boot of the Chevrolet. He pulled out a picnic basket. My eye’s opened wide and I took in the scene that unravelled before me. Damon Salvatore, the cocky, dangerous vampire was laying out a picnic on top of a hill.
“Elena, why don’t you come and sit with me?” He beckoned me over and I sat down next to him.
“Wow Damon. You’ve really surprised me this time.” I leant up and kissed him. Then I grabbed a sandwich and munched it down. I’d realised that I hadn’t had breakfast before I left.
“Mmm, did you make these? Their amazing,” I said, licking my lips.
“No, they appeared out of mid air,” he replied sarcastically. I looked up at him with a look of mock annoyance and continued eating. He grabbed one too and we sat in silence for ages taking in the scenery.
“This place is beautiful Damon. No wonder you love it here.” He laughed.
“Elena, this place is beautiful, I agree. And calm and quiet. But that’s not the only reason why I love it…” I looked at him, confused. “It’s a favourite spot for hikers too.” I recoiled a bit and breathed.
“Damon, I’m trying not to think about how and what you eat. Can we stay off of that topic please?” He smiled guiltily back at me.
“Sorry…”

Suddenly, two men emerged from the forest behind us. They were dressed head to toe in hiking gear and they were laughing and chatting to each other.
“See what I mean?” Damon whispered in my ear. I batted him away.
“Oh shush.” He laughed gently and I saw that his line of vision was fixed on the hikers. I felt myself shaking slightly. He looked down at me abruptly.
“Elena, don’t worry. I won’t hurt them. I won’t hurt anyone when you’re around me. I promise.” My shaking gradually stopped. I looked back at the hikers and one of them saw me looking. He waved.
“Hi there!” he called. “We were just coming up here to take in the scenery. Stunning isn’t it?” He put his hand over his eyebrows to block out the sun and looked out across the valley. I nodded back and went back to eating. Damon had said nothing, but as I looked up into his face I gasped. His face was changing, his eyes darkening, his canines lengthening.
“Damon, what-” I followed his eye line back to the hikers. One of them was lifting his leg up on to a rock. He peeled up his trousers and blood was pouring down his shin.
“Argh. See, I told you I’d hurt myself Jeff. You never listen. Always on a mission to get to the top.” He laughed. He began to remove his backpack in search of a first aid kit, I presumed. I turned back to Damon.
“Damon, stop. Resist it. Please. You promised. For me.” He looked down at me.
“Elena…I’m so sorry. But…I can’t.”